Preview: Windber opens PIAA playoffs against 2020 champion Steelton-Highspire
Windber captured its first District 5 championship since 2008 and first of the Matt Grohal era with a 14-0 victory over previously unbeaten Northern Bedford County last Thursday.
The Ramblers (11-1) will face a level of talent they have yet to see this season when Windber visits Steelton-Highspire (10-1), the No. 1 ranked team in Class 1A, at 1 p.m. on Saturday in the first round of the PIAA playoffs.
"There's a lot of similarities between these guys and Westinghouse from a year ago," said Grohal, whose team fell to the Bulldogs in the District 5-8 2A title last year. "I think our kids believe they can compete with them. That's half the battle. We know we can compete. They present a lot of challenges. We have to control the front, take away their run game and make them one-dimensional. If we can do that, we have a chance."
ChampsWindber upsets Northern Bedford County to capture 1st District 5 title since 2008
This is not the first time these two teams have met. Before the PIAA was instituted, Windber defeated Steelton 21-0 in 1937 to claim a state championship. "Touchdown Twins" Bud Bossick and George Bokinsky led the way. Windber also claimed a state title in 1933. Both games were played at Point Stadium.
Well-preparedWindber ready for sloppy conditions in District 5 1A title game against Northern Bedford
Back to the present day.
Steelton-Highspire dumped Fairfield 62-6 in the District 3 final then upended Belmont Charter 46-6 out of District 12 in the subregional last Saturday.
Rolling into the title gameWindber earns trip to District 5 Class 1A title game with romp of Conemaugh Township
Windber's defense has been lights out down the stretch, allowing only seven points since its lone loss of the season to Berlin Brothersvalley 14-0, in Week 5.
The Ramblers have scored 548 points this season while allowing just 49. The Steamrollers have racked up 509 points. Their lone loss of the year came to undefeated Westinghouse 39-18 in Week 2.
Senior John Shuster leads the way for Windber with 2,613 rushing yards and 37 touchdowns this season. He has unofficially rushed for 6,664 career yards. He needs just 61 yards to break former Berlin Brothersvalley standout Braden Fochtman's career mark of 6,724 yards and become the all-time leading rusher in Somerset County history.
Windber is likely going to need another offensive outburst from Shuster and company to hang with Steelton-Highspire.
"We want to control the clock with long drives," Grohal said. "We don't want to be in a hurry, offensively. The big chunk and splash plays aren't going to be as easy to come by as they have been all season. If we can grind it out and keep their offense off the field, that is going to be a success for us.
"If John (Shuster) can carry the ball 30 to 35 times, that means we are doing something right on offense. They (Steelton-Highspire) are unfamiliar with our offense. So that gives us a little bit of an edge. If we can hold our own up front, which I know we can, we can be in a position to be successful and score a few times on them."
Colin Marx returns from injury to aid in the Windber rushing attack. The junior has 475 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground this season. Senior fullback Blake Klosky will also likely be a major factor in Windber's ability to run the football against Steelton-Highspire.
Klosky, who is not only Shuster's lead blocker more often than not, has also produced 376 yards and eight rushing touchdowns. Klosky and fellow senior Jake Hostetler have been two of the defensive leaders this season.
Meanwhile, Steelton-Highspire is led by 6-foot-4 quarterback Alex Erby. The 2-time all-state selection has completed 130 of 194 passes for 2,411 yards, 33 touchdowns and just three interceptions. The junior 3-star signal-caller has Division I offers from Akron, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Connecticut, Duke, James Madison, Kent State, Louisville, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, Pitt and Temple.
"He's a Division I quarterback, and they have a lot of talented skill guys as well," Grohal said.
Ronald Burnette has rushed for 487 yards and nine scores while Jakhai Noss has provided 384 yards and seven touchdowns.
The Steamrollers have a trio of receivers who can stretch the field. Junior Durrell Ceasar Jr. leads the way with 54 catches for 979 yards and 14 touchdowns. Fellow junior Jaeion Perry has tallied 31 grabs for 541 yards and nine touchdowns while senior DaQuan McCraw has chipped in 27 catches for 510 yards and six touchdowns.
The Steamrollers are also receiving contributions from Middletown players that transferred in this year.
Bamm Appleby and Asa Kochvar transferred from Middletown in late August, after it cancelled its season due to hazing incidents within the program. Appleby and Kochvar were in good standing at Middletown and were not involved in the hazing, therefore permitted to transfer. Appleby's mother also works in the Steelton-Highspire school district.
After sitting out the required 21 days, Appleby shined in a victory over Camp Hill on Oct. 8, picking off three passes, one of which went for a touchdown. Kochvar, a tight end, has been a welcomed addition to the Steelton-Highspire aerial assault.
Middletown transfers in grades 10, 11, and 12 were not to be postseason eligible according to PIAA guidelines because they transferred in during the season after practice had already started. But because things were handled at a hearing by District 3, the PIAA had no say in the matter at hand.
Steelton-Highspire was initially denied by District 3 of its eligibility. The school asked for a reconsideration for another hearing based on information that was not available at the first hearing according to PIAA Executive Director Robert Lombardi.
"I was not a part of that (District 3 hearing). I don't know what the testimony was, but I believe they granted eligibility to Steelton-Highspire," Lombardi said via phone interview on Tuesday of District 3. "There's a process for all member schools to have eligibility questions decided. It starts with the local principal of the school and then they may appeal the eligibility to the local district committee."
No matter who is or who's not suiting up for the Steamrollers on Saturday, the Ramblers have their hands full against a top-tier program that won a PIAA Class 1A championship in 2020. However, it is an opportunity for Grohal and his team to go and showcase its brand of ball to the state.
"They are excited," Grohal said of his team. "No one has made a big deal about playing at their home stadium. We are excited to be playing another week of football. There's not a lot of local teams left. To be standing and playing in mid- to late-November, is pretty cool. It has been a while since we've done that.
"We are happy we won a district title, but we're not satisfied. This is a 4-game stretch where everyone is 0-0. We're going to go see if we can win this thing."
Adam Ripple is the Daily American sports editor. He can be reached at 814-444-5926. Follow him on Twitter @ARipple_DAsport. Follow Daily American Sports on Facebook and @dailyamericanmedia on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Windber meets top-ranked Steelton-Highspire to open PIAA 1A playoffs
